<h2>Name</h2>
<p>
"<em>Al-Jinn</em>" is the name of this Surah as well as the title of its subject
matter, for in it the event of the Jinn's hearing the Qur'an and
returning to their people to preach Islam to them, has been related in
detail.
</p>
<h2>Period o� Revelation</h2>
<p>
According to a tradition related in Bukhari and Muslim, on the
authority of Hadrat Abdullah bin Abbas, once the Holy Prophet (upon
whom be peace) was going to Visit the Fair of Ukaz with some of his
Companions, On the way be led the Fajr Prayer at Nakhlah. At that time
a company of the jinn happened to pass that way. When they heard the
Quran being recited, they tarried and listened to it attentively. This
very event has been described in this Surah. 
</p>
<p>
Most of the commentators,
on the basis of this tradition, believe that this relates to the Holy
Prophet's well known journey to Taif, which had taken place three
years before the Hijrah in the 10th year of the Prophethood. But this
is not correct for several reasons. The jinn's hearing the Qur'an
during the journey to Taif has been related in Al-Ahqaf 29-32. A
cursory reading of those verses shows that the jinn who had believed
after hearing the Qur'an on that occasion were already believers in
the Prophet Moses and the previous scriptures. On the contrary, vv. 2-
7 of this surah clearly show that the jinn who heard the Qur'an on this
occasion were polytheists and deniers of the Hereafter and Prophethood.
Then, it is confirmed historically that in his journey to Taif none
accompanied the Holy Prophet except Hadrat Zaid bin Harithah. On the
contrary, concerning this journey Ibn Abbas says that the Holy Prophet
(upon whom be peace) was accompanied by some of his Companions.
Furthermore, the traditions also agree that in that journey the jinn
heard the Qur'an when the Holy Prophet had stopped at Nakhlah on his
return journey from Taif to Makkah, and in this journey, according to
the traditions of Ibn Abbas, the event of the jinn's hearing the
Qur'an occurred when the Holy Prophet was going to Ukaz from Makkah.
Therefore, in view of these reasons what seems to be correct is that
in Surah Al-Ahqaf and Surah Al Jinn, one and the same event has not been
narrated, but these were two separate events, which took place during
two separate journeys. 
</p>
<p>
As far as Surah Al-Ahqaf is concerned, it is
agreed that the event mentioned in it occurred on the return journey
from Taif in the 10th year of Prophethood. As for the question, when
this second event took place, its answer is not given by the tradition
of Ibn Abbas, nor any other historical tradition shows as to when the
Holy Prophet had gone to the Fair of Ukaz along with some of his
Companions. However, a little consideration of vv 8-10 of this surah
shows that this could only be an event of the earliest stage of
Prophethood. In these verses it has been stated that before the
appointment of the Holy Prophet (upon whom be peace) to Divine Mission
the jinn used to have one or another opportunity to eavesdrop in the
heavens in order to hear news of the unseen, but after it they
suddenly found that angels had been set as guards and meteorites were
being shot on every side so that they could find no place of safety
from where they could hear the secret news. Thereupon they had set
about searching for the unusual thing that had occurred on the earth,
or was going to occur, because of which the security measures had been
tightened up. Probably since then many companies of the jinn must have
been moving about in search of the unusual occurrence and one of them
after having heard the Qur'an from the Holy Prophet (upon whom be
peace) must have formed the opinion that that was the very thing for
the sake of which all the gates of the heavens had been shut against
the jinn.
</p>
<h2>Reality of Jinn</h2>
<p>
Before one starts the study of this Surah one must clearly know what is
the reality of the jinn so as to avoid any possible mental confusion.
Many people of the modern times are involved in the misunderstanding
that the jinn are not real, but only a figment of the ancient
superstition and myths. They have not formed this opinion on the basis
that they have known all the realities and truths about the universe
and have thus discovered that the jinn do not exist. They cannot claim
to possess any such knowledge either. But they have assumed without
reason and proof that nothing exists in the universe except what they
can see, whereas the sphere of human perceptions as against the
vastness of this great universe is not even comparable to a drop of
water as against the ocean. Here, the person who thinks that what he
does not perceive, does not exist, and what exists must necessarily be
perceived, in fact, provides a proof of the narrowness of his own mind.
With this mode of thought, not to speak of the jinn, man cannot even
accept and acknowledge any reality, which he cannot directly
experience and observe, and he cannot even admit the existence of God,
to say nothing of admitting any other unseen reality. 
</p>
<p>
Those of the
Muslims who have been influenced by modernism, but cannot deny the
Qur'an either, have given strange interpretations of the clear
statements of the Qur'an about the jinn, Iblis and Satan. They say
that this does not refer to any hidden creation, which may have its
own independent existence, but it sometimes implies man's own animal
forces, which have been called Satan, and sometimes it implies savage
and wild mountain tribes, and sometimes the people who used to listen
to the Qur'an secretly. But the statements of the Qur'an in this
regard are so clear and explicit that these interpretations bear no
relevance to them whatever. 
</p>
<p>
The Qur'an frequently mentions the jinn
and the men in a manner as to indicate that they are two separate
creations. For this, see Al Araf: 38, Hind : 119, Ha Mim As-Sajdah:
25,29, Ahqaf: 18, Adh Dhariyat: 56, and the entire surah Ar-Rahman,
which bears such clear evidence as to leave no room to regard the jinn
as a human species. 
</p>
<p>
In Surah Al-Araf: 12, Al Hijr : 26-27 and Ar-Rahman
: 14-19, it has been expressly stated that man was created out of clay
and jinn out of fire. 
</p>
<p>
In Surah Al Hijr: 27, it has been said that the
jinn had been created before man. The same thing is testified by the
story of Adam and Iblis, which has been told at seven different places
in the Qur'an, and at every place it confirms that Iblis was already
there at the creation of man. Moreover, in surah Al-Kahf: 50, it has
been stated that Iblis belonged to the jinn. 
</p>
<p>
In surah Al-Araf: 27, it
has been stated in clear words that the jinn see the human beings but
the human beings do not see them. 
</p>
<p>
In surah Al-Hijr: 16-l8, surah As-
Saaffat: 6-10 and surah Al-Mulk: 5, it has been said that although the
jinn can ascend to the heavens, they cannot exceed a certain limit; if
they try to ascend beyond that limit and try to hear what goes on in
the heavens, they are not allowed to do so, and if they try to
eavesdrop they are driven away by meteorites. By this the belief of
the polytheistic Arabs that the jinn possess the knowledge of the
unseen, or have access to Divine secrets, has been refuted. The same
error has a]so been refuted in Saba: 14. 
</p>
<p>
Al-Baqarah: 30-34 and Al-
Kahf: 50 show that Allah has entrusted man with the vicegerency of the
earth and the men are superior to the jinn. Although the jinn also
have been given certain extraordinary powers and abilities an example
of which is found in An-Naml 39, yet the animals likewise have been
given some powers greater than man, but these are no argument that the
animals are superior to man. 
</p>
<p>
The Qur'an also explains that the jinn,
like men, are a creation possessed of power and authority, and they,
just like them, can choose between obedience and disobedience, faith
and disbelief. This is confirmed by the story of Satan and the event
of the jinn affirming the faith as found in Surahs Al-Ahqaf and Al-Jinn.
</p>
<p>
At scores of places in the Qur'an, it has also been stated that Iblis
at the very creation of Adam had resolved to misguide mankind, and
since then the Satanic jinn have been persistently trying to mislead
man, but they do not have the power to overwhelm him and make him do
something forcibly. However, they inspire him with evil suggestions,
beguile him and make evil seem good to him. For this, see An-Nisa 117-
120, Al-Araf: 11-17, Ibrahim: 22, Al-Hijr: 30-42, An-Nahl 98-100, Bani
Israil 61-65. 
</p>
<p>
The Qur'an also tells us that in the pre Islamic
ignorance the polytheistic Arabs regarded the jinn as associates of
God, worshiped them and thought they were descended from God. For
this, see A1-An'am: 100, Saba : 40-41, As Saffat: 158. 
</p>
<p>
From these
details, it becomes abundantly clear that the jinn have their own
objective existence and are a concealed creation of an entirely
different species from man. Because of their mysterious qualities,
ignorant people have formed exaggerated notions and concepts about
them and their powers, and have even worshiped them, but the Qur'an
has explained the whole truth about them, which shows what they are
and what they are not.
</p>
<h2>Theme and Topics</h2>
<p>
In this Surah in vv. 1-15, it has been told what was the impact of the
Qur'an on the company of the jinn when they heard it and what they
said to their fellow jinn when they returned to them. Allah, in this
connection, has not cited their whole conversation but only those
particular things which were worthy of mention. That is why the style
is not that of a continuous speech but sentences have been cited so as
to indicate that they said this and this. If one studies these
sentences spoken by the jinn carefully, one can easily understand the
real object of the narration of this event of their affirming the
faith and or mentioning this conversation of theirs with their people
in the Qur'an. The explanations that we have given of their statements in our Notes will be of further help in understanding this object.
</p>
<p>
After this, in vv 16-l8, the people have been
admonished to the effect:"If you refrain from polytheism and follow
the way of righteousness firmly, you will be blessed; otherwise if you
turn away from the admonition sent down by Allah, you will meet with a
severe punishment." Then, in vv. 19-23, the disbelievers of Makkah
have been reproached, as if to say: When the Messenger of Allah calls
you towards Allah, you surround and mob him from every side, whereas
the only duty of the Messenger is to convey the messages of Allah. He
does not claim to have any power to bring any gain or cause any harm
to the people." Then, in vv. 24-25 the disbelievers have been warned
to the effect: "Today you are trying to overpower and suppress the
Messenger seeing that he is helpless and friendless, but a time will
come when you will know who in actual fact is helpless and friendless.
Whether that time is yet far off, or near at hand, the Messenger has
no knowledge thereof, but it will come to pass in any case." In
conclusion, the people have been told: The Knower of the unseen is
Allah alone. The Messenger receives only that knowledge which Allah is
pleased to give him. This knowledge pertains to matters connected with
the performance of the duties of Prophethood and it is delivered to
him in such security which does not admit of any external interference
whatever.
</p>

